But Toney was too much occupied to give a thought to the county magnates. Rose, who came to help her to put on her white dress, was not allowed to stay long.
"I'm all right, Rose; I want you to go to the Miss Hamiltons' room and beg them to come here before going down. I've got them some lovely flowers."
"There's some come for you too, Miss Toney," said Rose, holding out a lovely bunch of white lilies. "It was left at the back door, and was specially to be given to you."
"Oh!" exclaimed Toney. "How lovely; I wonder who sent them. You see, I haven't a young man, Rose."
"Cook said as how you ought to have one, Miss Toney; specially you being so rich now."
Toney paused as she held the flowers lovingly; she always had reverenced flowers. Oh, dear! even the servants associated money with love. It was dreadful! Then she resolutely thrust away thoughts of self, and looked at her two bunches of roses. Then, pinning in her lilies, she waited a little anxiously. Time was flying. She had arranged with the footman to call Mr. Weston at the last moment, and she must get the Hamiltons down before he came. There was a knock at the door, and Jeanie Hamilton stood in the doorway, a vision of beauty in a soft cloud of pale blue silk and chiffon, whilst Maud looked nearly as much transformed in rose.
"Oh!" exclaimed Toney, "how just awfully beautiful you look, Jeanie! May I say it? and here are some flowers I got uncle to steal for you! Let me pin them on."
Jeanie could not help admiring herself, and her spirits rose. Never had she had such a dress.
"Wasn't it generous of Aunt Honoria? It's the most beautiful dress I have ever seen; and, look at Maud, isn't hers pretty too? They must have cost a small fortune."
"We must tell you about the gentleman who took our measure," exclaimed Maud, trying to hide her nervousness by talking. "But, oh, Toney, look at the time; we ought to go down."
"Yes. We'll all go together, and if you go in first Aunt Dove's big-wigs will be so struck of a heap with you that they'll forget me. They do seem so very extra civil to me now, all because I've got so much tin. Oh! they don't know the trouble of it; but in any case I don't stick bank-notes on my clothes, so I can't see why I'm more interesting than I was before. Come, let's run! No, you can't with those clo'."